Army Demolishes Bab Al-Shams

IMEMC – Late on Wednesday at night, Israeli soldiers, accompanied by military bulldozers, attacked and demolished the Bab Al-Shams Palestinian village established by nonviolent activists on Palestinian lands Israel considers as “E1” area, and wants to build Jewish settlements on it.

The soldiers removed the tents after sealing the area and declaring it a closed military zone.

Palestinian nonviolent activist, Ali Obeidat, told the Maan News Agency, that a large number of soldiers were deployed in the area, Wednesday, and sealed it and declaring it a closed military zone.

Obeidat said that the soldiers placed cement blocks on main roads, and by evening hours Wednesday, several military bulldozers were on the scene.

Activist Mahmoud Zawahra stated that the Palestinians will rebuild Bab Al-Shams, and added that “Israel will soon be surprised to see each removed tent reinstalled”, and stated that the Palestinians are practicing their legitimate right in their own land.

The army demolished the village after the Israeli High Court removed an injunction that prevented the army from demolishing and removing the tents installed by the Palestinians, and issue that granted the army a green light to act against the village and remove it instead of just removing the activists.

On Sunday at dawn, January 13, thousands of Israeli soldiers and policemen attacked the Bab Al-Shams Palestinian village, and forcibly removed dozens of activists loading them onto buses; several injuries were reported. The detained activists were released later on.

Two days ago, Palestinian medical sources reported that at least 11 nonviolent peace activists, and 7 reporters, have been injured when Israeli soldiers attacked a group of activists trying to reach the Bab Al-Shams, several activists have been kidnapped.

Bab Al-Shams was established in response to the illegitimate Israeli decision to build thousands of units for Jewish settlers in the “E1” area in occupied East Jerusalem, by illegally confiscating thousands of Dunams of Palestinian lands.